Transit CEOs convene in Washington for national Safety and Security Summit, Capitol Hill advocacy

Updated: 9/15/2026

Chief Executive Officers and police chiefs from 15 of the nation's largest transit agencies gathered in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday for the National Transit Safety and Security Summit to share proven strategies for reducing crime, protecting transit workers, and improving the customer experience while advocating for continued federal support on Capitol Hill.

These agencies are achieving measurable safety improvements, sharing best practices nationally, and partnering with Congress to keep transit safe and reliable. Recent results include dramatic reductions in crime such as WMATA in Washington, D.C. having its lowest crime rate in history, a 50% crime reduction on San Francisco Muni since 2019, 31% on LA Metro since 2023, 41% on BART in San Francisco since 2025, and 21% on SEPTA in Philadelphia since 2025.

Public transportation remains one of the safest ways to travel in the United States. According to Federal Transit Administration data, major passenger security events occur at a rate of just 0.15 incidents per one million bus passenger trips and 0.29 incidents per one million rail passenger trips.

Transit leaders also highlighted the critical role public transportation plays in supporting regional economies and moving millions of people safely during major national and international events, including the FIFA World Cup, America's 250th on the National Mall, and championship parades across the country.

Transit safety best practices highlighted by agency leadership include:

Modernized fare gates in New York, San Francisco Bay Area, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. that reduce fare evasion, improve station security, and enhance the customer experience.
Regional public safety partnerships in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., that improve coordination among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.
Innovative virtual patrol operations, including SEPTA's camera monitoring center staffed by former law enforcement personnel who monitor more than 30,000 cameras across the system and coordinate rapid responses when incidents occur.
Increased security presence on buses, trains, and in stations, including targeted enforcement initiatives and visible patrols focused on customer safety and system reliability. Tactic deployed in New York City, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, San Francisco, and Chicago.
Implemented the use of drones, including the recently established NJ TRANSIT Police Department Drone Unit, to provide real-time aerial awareness during emergencies, large-scale events, and other public safety operations.
Banning policies adopted by agencies in regions including San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. to remove repeat and egregious offenders from transit systems.
Fully enclosed operator barriers and protective shields that reduce assaults on frontline transit workers and enable operators to focus on moving customers safely.
Expanded deployment of public safety technology, including networks of thousands of security cameras, real-time camera monitoring, mobile safety apps, and text-to-police programs that help identify incidents and speed response times.
Crisis intervention and mental health response teams in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles that connect vulnerable individuals with services while improving safety throughout the transit network.
Student safety initiatives, including school resource officers and truancy-reduction programs that help keep young customers safe and connected to educational opportunities.

Following the summit, transit leaders met with members of Congress to advocate for sustained federal investment and regulatory support. The CEOs emphasized that transit systems are critical national infrastructure, carrying millions of passengers safely each day, connecting workers to jobs, supporting economic growth, and serving as essential transportation networks during major national events.

Continued federal partnership is critical to advancing safety technologies, strengthening security operations, protecting frontline employees, and ensuring transit remains one of the safest and most reliable modes of transportation in the nation.

Quotes from transit CEOs

Randy Clarke, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority General Manager and CEO, co-chair

"Safety and security are our core values at Metro, and every customer and employee deserves to feel safe on our system. We've reduced crime to historic lows, cut fare evasion, and achieved record customer satisfaction while safely transporting millions of customers to major events like America's 250th celebration and a Grand Prix race. We are asking the Administration and Congress to recommit to the federal partners to secure predictable, reauthorized funding for transit."

Stephanie Wiggins, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO, co-chair

"People across Los Angeles County are rediscovering the benefits of public transit, and a big part of that is confidence in feeling safe on our system. We’ve reimagined our public safety strategy around visibility, code-of-conduct enforcement, access control, and care-based approaches. As a result, violent crime on our system has fallen 31% from its pandemic-era highs, and riders tell us the system feels safer and the experience has improved significantly. Since January 2023, overall rail satisfaction has increased 11 percentage points, from 76% to 87%, driven largely by improved perceptions of cleanliness inside trains and stations and safety from trains. We expect this trend to continue as we build our own police force dedicated to keeping our riders and employees safe. When people feel safe, supported, and respected, they’re more likely to choose transit—and that’s good for riders, good for our region, and good for everyone who depends on a safe, reliable transportation system. Strong federal partnership is necessary to continue the safety gains agencies are achieving across the country. Predictable federal funding helps protect riders and employees, strengthen security operations, and support the economic vitality of the communities we serve."

Janno Lieber, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chair and CEO

“As the nation’s largest transportation system, we know the MTA and New York are always in the spotlight for security, but as evidenced by the City’s falling crime rates and soaring transit ridership and customer satisfaction scores, Governor Hochul’s safety investments and NYPD’s policing strategy are yielding real results.”

Bob Powers, Bay Area Rapid Transit General Manager

“Putting the safety of riders first has meant boosting our visible BART Police Department presence on trains and in stations as well as installing new fare gates at all 50 of our stations. These state-of-the-art gates are not only deterring fare evasion but other types of unwanted activity on BART. Crimes against riders are down 67% and safety-related train delays are down 47% since the end of 2024.”

Scott A. Sauer, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) General Manager

“With unprecedented investment in Transit Police hiring and new technology, serious crime on SEPTA is at its lowest level in more than a decade. After a historic summer in which SEPTA played a critical role supporting Philadelphia’s six World Cup matches, the MLB All-Star Game and our nation’s semiquincentennial celebrations, I am grateful to join fellow transit leaders in highlighting for U.S. Department of Transportation officials and Members of Congress how public transportation is strengthening safety and security, improving the customer experience and delivering the critical service our regions need.”

Michelle Allison, King County Metro General Manager

"At King County Metro, we’re prioritizing investments in rider and employee safety and security—and we’re seeing meaningful results. Overall, security incidents have declined in recent years. At the same time, more people across King County are choosing to ride our growing transit network, and customer satisfaction with safety and security is now at its highest point in several years. Continuing to make transit safer, more frequent, and more reliable is key to supporting further ridership growth."

India Birdsong Terry, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager

“GCRTA is helping lead a nationwide effort to modernize rail systems through coordinated advocacy and strong bipartisan support in Congress. Since its creation, the federal Rail Vehicle Replacement Program has awarded more than $1.5 billion nationwide, including a historic $130 million investment in GCRTA’s Rail Car Replacement Program. Together with our recent $20 million award for station accessibility, this federal funding is helping us replace railcars that are more than 40 years old and provide safer, more reliable and accessible service in Greater Cleveland. Sustained and predictable federal investment is essential to continuing this progress across the nation. GCRTA is glad to participate in this essential safety and security summit, to help keep the health and well-being of our communities and collective transit family at the forefront of our efforts, every day without exception.”

Stacy L. Miller, Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works Director and CEO

"Safety and security are a mindset that runs through every decision we make. Bringing together the CEOs and security chiefs from the country's largest transit systems, alongside our federal partners, provides an invaluable opportunity to discuss shared priorities and lessons learned. We're facing an evolving landscape, and the fastest way forward is sharing what's actually working — the data, the technology, the partnerships — across agencies. Miami-Dade County is proud to be part of this conversation, and is committed to keeping our riders, employees, and residents safe every day.”

Julie Kirschbaum, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Director of Transportation

"Muni is a safe, fast and reliable way to get around San Francisco. The safety of our riders and our transit operators is critical to the success of our transit system, and we’ve implemented multiple measures to reinforce safety and security as our top priority. We are deepening our partnership with the San Francisco Police Department, and crime is dropping on Muni as it is throughout the city. With our customer satisfaction rating the highest it’s been in decades, we have made significant progress, but we know there is more work to do, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that Muni is safe for everyone."

Jim Derwinski, Metra Executive Director & CEO

“Passengers and the public deserve the safest and most secure operations from those entrusted with this responsibility.  At Metra commuter rail, our police force and our employees remain the most valued part of the mission.  Through vigilance, training, and technology we keep our system safe and secure 24/7.”

Kris Kolluri, NJ TRANSIT President & CEO

“Nothing is more important than the safety and security of our customers and employees, and that commitment is reflected in the progress we achieved across the board in 2025 — including a 60% decrease in assaults on rail crews, a 19% decrease in assaults on bus operators, a 33% reduction in fare evasion and a four-percent reduction in crime systemwide. That same focus helped NJ TRANSIT safely move more than 370,000 fans during the FIFA World Cup’s eight matches at NYNJ Stadium, including the Final. We are proud of this progress and of our ability to deliver safe, world-class transportation for New Jersey residents and visitors, but our work to make the system even safer never stops.”

Full list of participants:

Transit Agency CEO/GM Police Chief/Security Lead

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Robert Powers Deputy Chief Gina Galetti

Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) India Birdsong Terry Chief Deirdre Jones

King County Metro

Michelle Allison

Chief Jose Marenco

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro)

Stephanie Wiggins

Chief William Scott

Maryland Transit Administration (MTA)

Tony Bridges

Metra

Jim Derwinski

Chief Dan O’Shea

Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)

Jonathan Hunt

Chief Michael Kreher

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)

Janno Lieber

Chief Kemper

Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation

Stacy Miller

New Jersey Transit (NJ TRANSIT)

Kris Kolluri

Chief Christopher Trucillo

Northern Illinois Transit Authority

Leanne Redden

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Muni)

Julie Kirschbaum

Captain Stephen Jonas

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)

Scott A. Sauer

Deputy Chief James Zuggi

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)

Randy Clarke

Chief Stephen Boehm

Transit Agency

CEO/GM

Police Chief/Security Lead

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)

Robert Powers

Deputy Chief Gina Galetti

Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA)

India Birdsong Terry

Chief Deirdre Jones